


Brave

by Shinzu



Category: DC Animated Universe, Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-15
Updated: 2017-03-15
Packaged: 2018-10-05 19:18:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10315184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinzu/pseuds/Shinzu
Summary: Hal always has a habit of saying the wrong thing at the wrong time, especially around his son.





	

**Author's Note:**

> A quick companion piece to the main story I'm writing. Got hit with those feelings, yo. I wrote this so that you don't have to read the other piece to understand.

“So what do you want for dinner, kid?”

“I don't know. What about burgers?”

“Burgers are good! And then ice cream after, eh?”

The small boy grinned, nodding. He took a deep breath of the cool night air. “Yes! I didn't think you'd actually get me ice cream.”

“You think I wouldn't get my favorite person ice cream?” Hal asked, raising an eyebrow. He laughed, ruffling the boy's hair. “We can get some from that place you really like.”

Gotham wasn't exactly his first choice for Russel to be going to school. The Bat had the crime city central covered, sure, but he was also quite territorial if Hal said so himself. He wasn't sure how he'd react to seeing the Green Lantern running around the city. Especially Green Lantern's son, if he didn't already know. He probably did. Of course the child was harmless, but superheroes knew better than anyone else: you had to be careful with those you loved. 

In a way, he was being careful, finding the perfect safe place for his son to go to school and all that. Picking him up and going home was easy. And if it wasn't, he knew people they could crash with for the night. Sleepovers, he called it, so that Russel wouldn't be worried. But in a way, he didn't want to have more pressure on the Bat's back. If he knew anything about the mysterious Dark Knight at all, it was that he was a sucker for children. Russel was just one other person he'd have to keep an eye out for. Maybe that's why Hal brought the child to Gotham in the first place.

No matter where he went, Hal figured there would be some sort of consequence. He just didn't know what to do without putting the kid into more trouble; it always seemed to find him.

“Here, let's go here!” Russel bounced in excitement, rushing through the entry of the nearest burger place. They were whisked away by a host who sat them together in a small booth toward the back—quiet. The interior was lively, sort of like one of those old 60s diners, and their booth was pastel shades of blue and pink. Russ had a good way of finding neat places.

Before he sat down, Russel pulled the jacket off and handed it back to Hal, who folded it up neatly and placed it in the spot beside him.

“So, how are you liking it here in Gotham?” Hal finally prodded as he skimmed through the menu. It was a laminated folder, front and back with drinks, burgers, ice cream, the usual. “Making lots of friends? Doing lots of art?”

“I just do homework while waiting for you,” Russel said, looking at him with big soft green eyes. Hal always thought they were such lovely eyes. He was always a fan of green. “You know that!”

“Hey, it's my job to make sure you're still liking it. I know my work keeps meaning you gotta move around.” A lie.

“It's alright! I think Gotham's the best place so far, way better than that Central City place.” Also a lie.

Hal grinned and gave him a thumbs up. When the waitress came around, they ordered their burgers and drinks—Russel got a milkshake, like always. Chocolate. Hal just got root beer.

A deep guilt kept gnawing at him. He sipped his soda, alert and attentive as Russel spoke excitedly about all the things he was working on. Homework, his art, things he'd been designing for fun. Hal knew he was such a happy kid, a very sweet kid at that. He never had any ill will toward anyone, forgave people swiftly. A curse and a blessing, especially for one of his nature. Especially for the kid of a superhero. And Hal simply didn't know what to do.

When the boy came into his care, he was barely a year old. And ever since then, Hal couldn't help but feel like he'd been putting the child in danger simply by looking at him. He was in space for most of his time for god's sake, willingly losing sleep in order to spend a few hours with Russel every day. But with the boy's soft nature, those big sweet green eyes, a smile that could melt hearts—not much unlike his own, he must add—bad things were going to happen. Already happened.

It was stupid really, what Hal did. But if Batman was here, he'd say: everything you do is stupid Hal and you know it. Probably. Sounding dark and gritty wasn't really his thing.

Hal just didn't want the boy to know that he knew he was getting bullied. It was a hard thing to say others had told him. So he came up with the excuse that to keep Russel safe from his work, they'd sometimes have to move. He only chose places with heroes he could trust: Metropolis with Superman, Central City with Flash, Gotham with Batman. They'd all worked out well until he noticed the boy getting bullied all over again. He'd only move him when it got real bad, but how many times would that continue to happen?

He remembered approaching Superman—no, Clark Kent—one day. He knew Clark had two children. A daughter, and a younger son. Very young at the time. The reporter had been alarmed by the Green Lantern's visit, but with a quick power-down and explanation, the man was put to ease. If one could call it that.

“You have no one else he could be with?” Clark asked, raising an eyebrow. “Mother? Siblings?”

“None.” 

“And he keeps getting...bullied.”

“Yes.” Hal fidgeted, hands behind his back. He didn't want to take advice from anyone. Normally he didn't need advice.

“Well, why don't you teach him to stand up for himself?” Clark looked over his shoulder at the girl standing by the staircase, not much older than Russel, staring at them with a glare that could give Batman a run for his money. “You can't always protect them, but you can teach them how.”

Now Hal just wished he knew how. Everything he'd done had been training in his early life, and training as a Green Lantern. But he knew how to fight. Punch people. Kick people. Russel didn't need that. Russel wouldn't ever do anything like that.

Their food being placed on the table brought him back to reality. It smelled really good, and within moments Russel was digging into the fries and ketchup. He really did have a knack for finding good burger places.

“Dad?” Russel asked between a mouthful of fries. “Will I always stay in Gotham? I really like it here. Today I met three kids. One of them was in my class. Jamie. The others I don't know. But they were really nice. Well, one of them looked like she wanted to murder, but...”

Hal smiled. “Oh? Did you have a good time?”

The boy's smile faltered, and he tried to give his best one. “Yeah. We ran around the block.”

“Oh did you know?” Hal didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd seen him be picked up and pulled away from two dogs cornering him in the backyard of a vacant house. But maybe he should. He placed his burger back on the plate, running a hand through his hair. It settled back down in that little flip it always did in the front. “You know, um.” He pulled at his collar. “Russel, you don't have to lie to me.”

Silence. Russel swallowed, taking a long drink of his milkshake. Bad time. Very bad time. Why did Hal always have a habit of picking a bad time? He mentally smacked himself, inhaled sharply, and leaned across the table to give his son a pat on the shoulder. 

“I saw that today,” Hal said quietly. Russel wouldn't meet his eyes. “You were very brave out there.”

Russel shrugged, tears welling up in his eyes. “No, I wasn't,” he whispered, staring at a fry between his fingers. “I wanna be brave like you but I don't think I ever can be.”

Hal stood up and shifted to the other side of the booth, wrapping one arm around his son. He wasn't good at comfort. Absolutely not. But he could try. He'd try for Russel. “You don't have to be like me,” he whispered, lowering his voice so only the boy could hear. “But you were brave. I'm proud of you.”

Without a word the child turned and wrapped his arms around him. He ruffled his hair, patted Russel's back, all while hearing the child sobbing quietly into his chest.

“We'll get ice cream tomorrow, yeah? Why don't we just go home.” All he got was an affirmative nod.


End file.
